Walvis Bay - oasis of opportunities

Walvis Bay is Namibia's largest port and located on the west-coast of Africa, sandwiched between the rich waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the forbidding Namib desert. Since its discovery in 1487 by Portuguese navigator, Bartholomeu Dias, this port has always been a strategtic harbour. From whaling station, military outpost, shipping station to trade gateway - Walvis Bay boasts with a colorful history, underscoring its importance as port.

Brief Overview
With a population of 85,000 Walvis Bay comprises an area of 1,124km² and lies south of Swakopmund. In contrast to its harsh desert environment Walvis Bay enjoys a temperate climate with temperatures ranging between 17 - 26° Celcius. With very little rainfall, due to the cold Benguella current, the city obtains its potable water from the vast Kuiseb River aquifers. With the icy ocean and hot desert temperatures the city experiences occasional heavy fog conditions and light sand storms. But for the most part the city is a bustling hub of activities. This ranges from the large volumes of cargo being transhhiped to and from the port, the regular tourists to the different fishing companies landing fish.
With the abundance of plankton in the cold Benguella current the waters drew many whales, and from the 1780s, North American and European whalers used the bay as a hunting ground. Soon the Europeans recognised the harbour's strategic value in relation to the sea route around the Cape and vied for it. By 1670 the first European settlers came to live in the Walvis Bay area. In January 1793 the Dutch flag was raised over the Bay, but their rule was short lived. After occupying the Cape, the British quickly seized control over the area, more for administrative convenience and safe passage of ships. Fearing the increased interest of the Germans in the country, Great Britain annexed the habour and settlement area on 12 March 1878.

Six years later Walvis Bay was transferred to the Cape Colony and in 1910 incorporated into the Union of South Africa. In the meantime, Germany had established sovereignty over what was then known as German South West Africa and declared a dispute with Britain over the area's boundaries. When South African forces defeated the Germans in 1915, Walvis Bay was under martial law as part of South Africa.

Even when Namibia became independent on 21 March 1990, South Africa refused to relinquish control over the area. Only after increased international and local pressure, Walvis Bay and a string of off-shore islands were finally reintegrated into Namibia at midnight on 28 February 1994.

Tourism
Walvis Bay is blessed with wide open spaces, scenic beauty and unique marine and plant life. Apart from its importnace as trade hub and gateway, the city and its harsh desert emvironment is also a popular destination for sun-drenched sport and recreational adventures, including sandboarding, kiting, surfing, swimming, angling, sailing, golf and other in- and outdoor sport codes. During the December holidays Walvis Bay and its surrounding resorts come to life as beach sports, events and entertainment draw thousands of visitors, who want to wind down and soak up the sun. During this time anglers flock to the coast to catch some of the best quality and largest edible fish in Africa. These include steenbras, kabeljou, snoek and other delicious varieties.
Undoubtedly amongst the most famous desert landmarks in Namibia is Dune 7, one of the highest crests in the dune belt along the coast. The dominant south-westerly winds create ideal conditions for a variety of water-sports and regattas for hobbie cats, fireballs and catamarans are organised by the Walvis Bay Yacht Club. The Lagoon is an international Ramsar sanctuary for birds. Estimated to be 3500 years old it is one of the most important coastal wetlands in Southern Africa.

As a must-visit for bird lovers, it provides a feeding ground for 200,000 birds of 50 species including flamingos, the chestnut-banded plover, Damara terns, pelicans, cormorants and sea gulls. A 3km long promenade ensures a scenic stroll on its edges. Further south lie the red to blue hues of the largest solar salt evaporation fields in Africa. Visible from the main road, a few kilometres north of Walvis Bay visitors can see the Guano Platform. The platform covers 17,000 square metres and rests on 1,000 free-standing wooden stilts. Today the platform is home to thousands of birds as a nesting perch.

As the Kuiseb River approaches the Atlantic coast south of Walvis Bay it disappears in a maze at the foot of the dunes. The area has been home to the Khoikhoi nomads for over 2,000 years. Their previous abodes are still found all over the delta. The descendants of the Khoikhoi people, now known as the Topnaars, still live in the area tending sheep and goats in this harsh environment.

The Namib Naukluft Park lies south-east of Walvis Bay and is home to one of the world's strangest plants, the Welwitschia. This unique plant can reach a venerable age of more than a thousand years, surviving on the moist air from the ocean. It only has two leaves which the desert winds seperate in strands. In this area the landscape varies from expansive gravel plains interspersed with granite island mountains north of the Kuiseb River to the vast dune sea of the Namib Desert to the south of the Kuiseb River. Herds of gemsbok (oryx) and springbok, mountain zebra, baboons and klipspringers as well as flocks of ostrich, roam the plains.

48 km south of Walvis Bay the imposing dunes of the Namib desert spill down to a lagoon and virgin beaches to create one of the most scenic spots along the Namib coast, called Sandwich Harbour. Used as a deep-water anchorage for sailing vessels in the 1800s, Sandwich Harbour is also an important wetland.

Economy
The fishing industry is the cornerstone of the city's economy. With more than 50 years in existence the fishing industry has developed into a leading force in the world's fish supply market. Locally, the industry creates approximately 8,000 jobs and generates 10% of the country's GDP. With more than 2 kilometres of landing quays, cold storage, processing and canning facilities the fishing industry continues to play an important roll in the development of Walvis Bay. High value fish and related products are processed for export purposes to niche markets in Europa, Australia, the United States and Hong Kong. 90% of the hake caught and processed is exported to the Spanish markets. Other fish species caught commercially include pilchards, anchovy, tuna, orange roughy, monk, sole, horse-mackerel and other demersal species.
The 3,500 hectare Walvis Bay salt field is one of the largest solar evaporation facilities in Africa, processing 24 million tonnes of sea water each year to produce more than 700,000 tonnes of high quality salt. The refinery recently installed the first robotic arm in the country which will drastically cut down on production time. Salt is shipped to markets in southern and west Africa. Walvis Bay Salt Refiners is also a commercial producer of high-quality oysters supplied to customers throughout southern Africa. The exploration for oil and gas along the Namibian Coast continues. If deposits were found, it would have a positive impact on Walvis Bay's economy.

With the need for ship repair and maintenance well equipped engineering firms with a high degree of expertise have emerged to provide a wide range of services to the fishing and other industries. This has also spawned a wide range of other support industries such as shipping insurance, construction, cargo transport and retail services.

The Municipality of Walvis Bay has started to facilitate and promote the development of the informal trade and manufacturing industries. This includes providing training to start-up small and medium businesses (SMEs). The primary objective is to reduce the dependency of the local economy on the fishing sector, and to assist small traders to develop their businesses into fully fledged enterprises with the potential of exporting their products.

The main manufacturing activities take place within the Export Processing Zone. The EPZ companies are involved in the manufacturing of plastic products, automotive parts, fishing accessories, bathroom fittings and diamond cutting and polishing. Not only does the EPZ develop the country's manufacturing industry but creates much needed employment.

Another emerging sector is tourism. To keep up with one of the fastest growing industries worldwide, Walvis Bay has upgraded its facilities and tourist attractions. The local accomodation and tour institutions now offer a high degree of quality services on par with international standards. This market has also contributed to the creation of more employment and the development of the city.

Industries
Walvis Bay has a natural deep-water harbour and offers an efficient and economical option for cargo transshipment between African, European and American trade markets. By using the port of Walvis Bay exporters and importers within the region are guaranteed a saving of at least eight to ten days when shipping to and from these markets. Rated as number one in Africa for efficiency and quality by the Africa Competitiveness Report, the port is capable of handling more than 6 million tonnes of cargo for export and import purposes. The port is managed by Namibian Ports Authority (Namport), and is a gateway to 190 million consumers in the Southern African Development Community. It is well equipped with modern berth and cargo handling facilities, a syncrolift ship repair unit and ensures tight security.
Walvis Bay has an efficient transport network linking it to the hinterland and neighbouring African countries in the form of all-weather highways, district roads, a railway service and air links to Windhoek as well as other international airports in the region.

Rail services convey bulk commodities, general cargo, refrigerated goods, fuel and offer a comprehensive container service. Walvis Bay is linked to the rail networks of Namibia and Southern Africa. The Trans-Caprivi and Trans-Kalahari corridor road network cuts down on transport time for cargo. It forms a fast-flowing network that links Walvis Bay to major centres in South Africa, Botswana, Moçambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo and other Eastern African Countries.

Walvis Bay enjoys a constant and high quality supply of potable water, while there is ample electricity supply for the local needs and new developments. Telecommunication services are second to none in Africa. High quality digital telephony, data, internet, satellite, cellular and radio communication services are available for all your needs. A large pool of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labour workers provide able support to investors. Walvis Bay has two hospitals and three clinics with highly qualified emergency and private medical practitioners.

Banking institutions provide comprehensive domestic and international financial services, to ensure the safe and fast transfer of funds to and from any centre of the world. Walvis Bay has several primary and secondary schools, a maritime training college, three libraries, distance education institutions and a museum. The Namibian Constitution guarantees freedom of expression. Walvis Bay has its own newspaper, the Namib Times and is covered by a vast network of radio, television and satelite channels.

Housing in Walvis Bay ranges from upmarket to medium-cost houses that are fully serviced with water, electricity, sewage and surfaced roads. Hotels, lodges and resorts cater for the tourist market with a high standard of accomodation and related services.

Free Trade Zone
The Export Processing Zone (EPZ) is an innovative approach to offshore investments. More and more international companies are making use of this opportunity to set up their operations in the EPZ. Investors enjoy a tax-free investment environment with various benefits and advantages. These incentives are of unlimited duration and apply equally to Namibian and foreign firms. Companies are allowed to repatriate their capital and profits, while enjoying freedom from exchange controls and the holding of foreign currency accounts at local banks. Investors taking up residence in Walvis Bay can be sure of a politically stable, virtually crime-free environment,reliable work-force and lower production costs.
The only requirement is that investors employ Namibian labour. Investors who choose to upgrade the skills of their Namibian employees will also qualify for a 75% reimbursement of all direct expenditure incurred on approved on-the-job training courses. A legally enforced no-strike clause for companies with EPZ status, ensures a secure workforce.

The types of investments that are well suited for the Namibian conditions include the manufacturing, assembly and bulk storage of textiles, garments, footwear, leather products, electronic equipment and appliances, industrial products, foodstuffs and beverages and industrial plastic. The established companies are involved in the manufacturing of plastic pallets and products, automotive parts for VW and Audi vehicles, bathroom fittings, clothing, fishing related accessories and diamond cutting and polishing.

Keeping the zone running smoothly are two specialised organisations, the Walvis Bay EPZ Management Company and the Offshore Development Company. The Management Company provides tailor-made factories, administrative and secretarial services, shipping, forwarding and personnel recruitment. The ODC handles promotion and marketing worldwide.